This book is easily one of my top reads from this year. While it is technically YA it is a YA title that can easily translate to an adult audience, which can sometimes be a rare and challenging feat. It is rich, transportive, and heartfelt. There is some element of this story for everyone to relate to. Some element that will tug uniquely at your heart strings. It reads like a breathtaking love letter to the PNW and nature and stands apart from other books, witchy, YA, or otherwise.

Wow! Rachel has done it again! Wild is the Witch is a beautifully written story about a young witch, Iris, and the journey she takes coming into her magic. This book has it all strong character, animals you will fall in love with Winter the Wolf and Macguffin the Owl, elemental magic, family, love and accepting consequences of life mistakes. I was so moved by this book and I would love a sequel with Iris and Pike. I picked it up and read it cover to cover in one sitting. I highly recommend it!

Thank you NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review. #wildisthewitch

Holy cow can Rachel Griffin write.

YA isn’t an easy genre to write, but this book has appeal for all ages! Perfect amount of romance, magic and ya themes.

I loved this book more than her first, which is saying something because I LOVED that one! Auto buy author tbat I always recommend at the library.

Cover is gorgeous too!!

When I read the synopsis for Wild is the Witch I was intrigued. Enemies to lovers, witches, and camping definitely check some boxes for me. Plus, I am a fan of Griffin’s debut, The Nature of Witches, so I knew I had to read this one.
Wild is the Witch is a quick read that certainly gave me all of the key points I mentioned above. However I felt like it was lacking when it came to atmosphere and chemistry between the characters. I was also hoping for more magic. The types of witches described sounded really interesting and I wish we could’ve seen and experienced these magics more.
Perhaps my expectations were a little high for this one. I’m sure others will love it and I do plan to read any future books by Griffin.

Thank you to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Fire, and Ms. Griffin for the opportunity to read an ARC of this title. An honest review was requested but not required.

Somehow I missed posting a few reviews so I'm catching up on backlog.

I haven't read as many YA novels lately but this was gorgeous. Witches seem to be very on-trend for plot material lately and I've read quite a few that didn't really hit the mark for me but Ms. Griffin really succeeded here.

Iris Gray and her mom moved away from their previous home in Nebraska following a magic accident and have made a new life in Washington (Pacific Northwest) running an animal rescue. Iris works at the rescue - school isn't much mentioned, so it's either summer or she's graduated? - alongside intern Pike, whom she cannot stand. The feeling seems to be mutual. Of course we all know that mutual hatred in YA novels, at least half the time, means one or both of the characters is secretly in love with the other. After another magic accident, a curse that Iris never meant to release is accidentally cast onto an owl, which in this world serves as a magic amplifier, and Iris must find the owl and remove the curse.

I really liked how the magic system was detailed. We clearly didn't get Every Last Exhaustive Detail, but neither was it too shallowly described. The enemies to friends to lovers (sort of, this is really left as a fade-to-black situation, but I don't think they do more than kiss, if you're concerned) is also handled very organically. A lot of emphasis is put on cathartic moments and forgiveness and true understanding of one another, which was beautiful. It could have felt like a therapy session but somehow, it didn't, it just felt peaceful. The atmospheric pacific northwest woods also featured heavily, becoming almost a character themselves as Pike and Iris hike along looking for the owl. I will say, I think KIND bars owes Ms. Griffin an advertising fee ;)

I will definitely be on the lookout for future work from this author. I was really impressed by this book.

Thank you Sourcebooks Fire for the gifted copy.

Wow - this book was really good. I love books about witches, especially set during modern times, and not too fantastical. This one hit all the marks for me.

I liked how witches fall into one of three categories - those that are drawn to animals, people, or plants. The magic isn't all random spells, it's more like working with nature to bend it to their will.

The chemistry between Pike and Iris was good, yet predictable, but that's okay. I knew what would happen on their journey to find the owl, but there were a few twists and turns that I wasn't expecting.

I will definitely read more by this author.

Rachel Griffin’s new fantasy novel, Wild is the Witch, follows Iris Gray, an 18-year-old witch, who works at a wildlife refuge with her mom, who is also a witch. In their former hometown, Iris’ best friend Amy accidentally kills a boy who wanted her to turn him into a witch. Witches aren’t usually welcome in most towns anyway, but that was just too much and so Iris and her mom decided it was time for a fresh start and relocated to the Pacific Northwest. As long as no one finds out they’re witches, they should be able to get the fresh start they’re looking for.

When we meet Iris, the only obstacle standing between her and a happy life is a witch-hater named Pike who works as an intern at the refuge. Pike gets under her skin like no one else she has ever known. As a way to work through her frustrations with this guy, she decides to concoct a curse that will turn him into what he hates. She has no intentions of actually cursing him, having learned from her best friend’s mistake, but when something goes wrong and the curse ends up attached to an owl, a known curse amplifier, which then flies away, Iris’ life gets turned upside down. If she doesn’t track that owl down and dispel her curse, she risks not only turning Pike into a witch but everyone in the region.

There were just so many things I loved about this story. First, there’s the magic itself. I do wish there had been more of it spread throughout the novel, but what was there was amazing. Iris and her mother have powers that are directly tied to being able to communicate with animals. Griffin’s first novel The Nature of Witches focused on witches whose powers were connected to the weather, so I loved that this new novel continues that nature theme. Speaking of nature, I also loved the author’s description of the natural world and her descriptions of the various animals that Iris connects with throughout the story. The writing was so gorgeous and atmospheric that I really felt like I was in the wilderness of the Pacific Northwest.

Then there’s Iris. She’s a likeable character and her initial frustrations with Pike are easy to relate to since he’s such a jerk. I also liked that Iris is messy and flawed, and that she still makes mistakes even though she knows better but that she also immediately owns up to them and tries to right the wrongs she has caused. Her trying to find that owl and destroy her curse is what drives the bulk of the action in this story.

My favorite part of the story is of course, the journey to find the owl. Why? Because of all the people who could possibly end up accompanying her on this adventure, she ends up stuck with Pike. I loved watching the two of them get to know each other better as they are forced to work together and as Iris realizes Pike isn’t as awful as she originally thought he was and that he has an understandable reason for his hatred of witches.

So, does Iris find the owl and destroy her curse in time? You’ll have to read the book to find out. If you’re in the mood for an atmospheric witchy fantasy that reads a bit like a contemporary enemies to lovers romance, I highly recommend Wild is the Witch. 4.5 STARS

Iris Gray is a witch but she can’t let anyone know. After losing family and friends, facing the Witches’ Council, and relocating again, she is trying to fly under the radar and avoid scandal. Enter Pike Adler, witch-hater and annoying intern. To let out some pent-up frustration, Iris concocts a curse for Pike, intending to do what her grandmother taught her and release it back to the earth. However, the process is interrupted by an owl and now her curse is not only amplified, but could be released at any time. Now, Iris must find the bird and who better to help her that the intern, Pike.

I absolutely LOVE Rachel Griffin’s writing. I felt completely submersed by this magic world. The setting was beautiful and I felt like I was right there in the Pacific Northwest. I read this in two days because I just couldn’t put it down!

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for the ARC!

I have to say, I adored this story. It was fast-paced, witty, and the writing was almost lyrical. If the Pacific Northwest could be read, this would be it.

I adored Iris, our protagonist and witch, with an affinity for animals, and who has a wolf best friend. Pike definitely grew on me and I ended up quite liking him as well.

“Enemies to lovers” isn’t quite right, but it’s the gist, and I quite like the story. Tracking a cursed owl though the forest together was quite the adventure, and I’d gladly read more of their story.

Definitely recommend!

With her sophomore novel Griffin has cemented herself a place on my list of instant purchase authors.

I liked how the personal growths of Pike and Iris were perfectly intertwined with their relationship with each other but they were just as important as the romance. Pike’s journey to trusting and loving magic again, Iris’s journey to moving on from her past AND their journey to trusting and eventually loving each other all were focused on equally. Neither topic was made to seem more important that the other because for one to grow the others needed to as well.


I really enjoyed the use of animals and nature within the magic system and would love to maybe see a story set in the same universe possibly from a witch whose talents are different from Iris’s.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Fire and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book which definitely is on my favorites of the year!

I love Rachel Griffin’s writing so much. There is something so beautiful about it and I really enjoyed it in this book. The way the forests and animals and magic were described was so intriguing. I really enjoyed the enemies to lovers POV with the twist at the end. This book was so great and has ensured that Rachel is staying as one of my insta buy authors.

This was a quick magical read. I really enjoyed this story about a young witch, an accidental curse and a young man who has a hatred for witches.
I love the setting of the Pacific Northwest and an animal refuge. Two young people dealing with some heavy things while trying to save an owl and holding in many secrets.
If you enjoy books with magic and witches, pick this one up.

The vibes in this book are really top notch if you're looking for a book set in the Pacific Northwest where you can really get a sense of the forrest and the nature. I'm not really a nature girlie myself so the vibes were nice but not the main reason I was there. The main reason I was there is because the premise of this book is essentially that Iris writes a curse to turn Pike into a witch (a HUGE no-no) because she doesn't like him, but also, she never intends for this curse to be, you know, effective. Then an owl swoops in and ingests the curse and she and Pike have to adventure into the woods to find the owl and stop the curse before things get real bad, but also Pike cannot know she's a witch. Obviously, because this is a book with a perfect hate to love set-up, we get a hate to love relationship and I think that part was done so well, because you actually get to see Pike and Iris communicate. A novel concept it feels like sometimes. But I really liked the way you see their dynamic shift throughout this book and the slow way they come to understand that they never had the full picture of the other person before. Oh, and the mental health representation in this book is really visceral. The anxiety that Iris feels? You definitely get it. I thought it was extremely well done, but I also think that parts of it may feel triggering for some individuals.

The reason this book gets a four star from me rather than a five is because I don't think this book committed to a particular path or, alternatively, it is meant to be a series, but that part isn't announced? I just felt like there was a lot that was set up in this book and then not explored. Like, there is a whole friendship that we see established and break in the prologue and then the repercussions are felt throughout and at the end, we see that they're going to reconnect, but you never really... see it. And similarly, this book has an explosive ending with the romance side of things, but it's just not clear what or where it is going. So I think if you're more comfortable with very open ended books this book might really work for you. For me, I just wanted a few more threads to tie together or to be explored throughout.

While Wild is the Witch has a ton of really popular elements and tropes, it is an entirely unique story. Although there were writing conventions and parts of the plot that I wasn't initially looking forward too, I found myself completely immersed in this book thanks to the author's writing style. From the character writing, to the atmosphere, this book is entirely it own - so much so that I don't even know how to describe it. The highest praise I can sing for this book, and final thing I will say is that it has gotten me out of my fantasy, and just overall reading slump. I will definitely be picking up more books by this author.

Wild is the Witch is a YA romance with elements of fantasy. It's a relatively fast paced novel and is set in a beautiful landscape. If you are looking for a enemies turned friends story, this is a perfect fit.
Iris and her mom are setting up a new life after suffering a major blow in their life. They are harboring secrets and to protect that secret Iris does something unintentionally which could have bad consequences.
Liked: I really liked how the author described the relation of magic and nature. The development of Pike as a character is really good.
Didn't like: How less magic was there in the book. I wanted more magic and more witches!
Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for this book.

Another witchy standalone by Rachel Griffin! Who could resist that?! This book was surprisingly touching, and had me feeling all sorts of emotions throughout. Any book that brings a tear to my eye is a great one in my books.

Wild is the Witch follows Iris, a young witch who was forced to leave her old town with her mom due to an unfortunate event. Now the two run an animal refuge together, and Iris keeps her identity as a witch a secret, especially given that the intern working with her happens to hate witches. When a harmless ritual goes wrong, Iris finds herself trekking through the wilderness with witch-hating Pike by her side as she tries to find the curse-stealing owl before it's too late.

This book has so many fantastic elements to it - the writing style is fantastic as usual, the raw emotion bleeding through the pages is so real, and we get deep moments of vulnerability lightened up with just enough humor to make it feel real. The beginning of this book sets the stage well, and the story flows from there pretty well. We have a few slower spots in the middle there, but everything picks right up as we get to the end.

Overall, it's a really great YA contemporary story, with such a beautiful take on magic and witches. The romance is slow and sweet, and the book ends exactly as it should have. It will definitely leave you with a smile on your face.

Honestly kinda speechless right now because I loved reading this book so much omfg.

This was my first Rachel Griffin novel and I loved every aspect of this book. I thought her writing was relatable and realistic in a sense of how Iris was dealing with the aftermath of a very traumatic experience she had in the past that forced her leave her last home. The plot was incredibly engaging and the magic system was so unique. I loved the blend of science and magic coexisting within our world and it felt like such a refreshing take on magic and witches.

One of the many things I loved about this book was the relationship between Iris and Pike. It's the typical enemies to lovers who are forced into close proximity, but also more than that? Pike and Iris have set assumptions about one another going into this journey and getting to read how they start to relearn each other made my heart meeeelt. Their relationship was angsty, difficult, and incredibly sweet.

I can't recommend this book enough and given how much I enjoyed this one, I can't wait to dive into The Nature of Witches.

3.5 rounding up to 4 for Goodreads. This book was good, but I didn't enjoy it as much as Griffin's first book, The Nature of Witches.

It was descriptive and easy to read. I love the Pacific Northwest, so it was nice to imagine being in that area again and for the story to have this setting. It's fantasy light, so for those, who don't enjoy fantasy or want to dip their toes into it, this would be a good book to start.

It's also YA, and sometimes I feel too mature for those and the issues on hand can be too trivial for me. But the problem Iris finds herself in is a serious matter and I felt she seemed pretty mature for her age so I didn't have an issue with this one being a young adult novel.
Also Griffin can definitely write! Some books feel bogged down by descriptions and you just want the author to get to the point, but Griffin writes descriptively while getting to the heart of the matter and I appreciate that. It's easy to picture the exact scenario, feeling or setting while reading her books.

As someone who suffers from anxiety, worries and imagines worst case scenarios constantly, I really could relate to Iris and how Griffin writes about this character makes me believe she either suffers from it also or someone she loves does.

This quote really resonated with me and something I wish more people could understand. "But that's the thing about anxiety, it doesn't care if something is rational or not. It takes hold of your mind and squeezes, tighter and tighter until it can't be ignored, demanding your undivided attention. It turns from insignificant to all-consuming in the span of a breath, a fog so think it's impossible to see through, and no amount of breathing or counting or visualizations undoes it." I try to explain this often, so I felt this statement. 😅

Also I could definitely relate to Iris when she had this thought: "I try so hard to plan for everything, checking and rechecking my lists, staying up late at night practicing conversations in my mind..." I felt Griffin was in my mind. 😂

So I definitely liked the main character. The story was left open-ended (not on a cliff hanger), but to where I could see a sequel in the future and I'd be interested in continuing the series if that happens. All in all, like I said it was a good book. Nothing overly earth shattering but decent.

**Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me an advanced copy of this book and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion. I am posting this review to my Goodreads account immediately and will post it to my Amazon & Instagram accounts upon publication.

One thing that I love about this setting is that witches and magic are part of the regular population, not hiding from it. In Iris’ case, she is hiding her and her mother’s magic because of what happened before they moved to the northwest and started an animal refuge. Pike is an intern at the refuge and Iris finds him to be very annoying. The story is interesting and a quick read, but the plot device used to throw them together was very obvious. I would give this story 3.5 stars if that was an option.

I received a free copy of this book to review through NetGalley.

Wild Is the Witch follows Iris and Pike in an enemies-to-lovers wild goose err owl chase. Pike is driving Iris crazy with his constant hatred of witches, so she formulates a curse to get out her frustrations. She has no intention of enacting the curse which will turn Pike into a witch, but when an owl snatches the curse, she has no choice but to track it down lest something happen to the owl, letting the curse loose on any unsuspecting non-witches in the vicinity. Unfortunately for Iris, she doesn't get to go on this quest on her own. Pike has to tag along with her.

This was a fun little book. I really liked the world building and the magic, and Iris and Pike play off of each other really well. Their romance is cute, and neither character annoyed me (which is a big plus in YA these days). There were a few times where I felt the story dragged a little bit, but all in all it was an enjoyable read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC. I recommend this book.